2013 Goals for a New Year

Matt and I returned home to New Jersey right after New Years, after being in Minnesota and Iowa visiting with friends and family. It was so good to finally have my husband home after a long deployment and to also be with close loved ones for the holidays. After we got home it was hard to adjust back into a life of work and trying to be productive.

Since January has been generally slow for business I have taken the time to really reflect on the past year and on what is to come for 2013. We first moved to New Jersey last January. In less than a year I shot 23 weddings either as a primary or secondary shooter. From the west coast to the east coast and many places in between. A year ago I would never have expected this. I have met some talented artists in the Philadelphia and New York area who I have had the privilege of working along side. Never would I have expected to have so many opportunities. It proves that a little hard work and putting yourself out there really will pay off!

Looking back 2012 was a really great year for business and also for Matt and me personally. While working on my goals for 2013 I realized that last year I was most happy doing things that I loved, that fired me up, and that mattered most. That was my foundation while working on my goals for 2013. Lara Casey shared ten steps to making your goals for 2013. By working through these steps I gained clarity on what worked in 2012 and what didn’t work. What I was willing to say No to in 2013 and what I wanted to say YES to in 2013!

I created an inspiration board on Pinterest of things that fire me up and the fuel my life. The things that matter most. Click the link to see and follow me as I update the board.

One of the most excited things that Matt and I are looking forward to this year is having our first child. We are expecting Baby C in mid-July! This was something we have both been praying for and can’t believe that we are going to be parents. We want to prepare ourselves to be the best parents we can be! Many of my goals are reflective of this. Not to just be a good parents, but to better myself so that I can be the best example to my child.  Follow my tumblr blog for personal updates on the baby!

So with all this in mind I am sharing with you my 2013 goals.  Dave Ramsey shares in his book EntreLeadership that goals force practical steps into your life to make your dreams come true.  When you lay out exactly what you want to do in detail, you immediately start feeling the room to move and the earth shake.  I am nervous to share them since I am being very very transparent.  But one of my goals for this year was to be authentic and real.  I also need to stay accountable to these goals and I believe by sharing them that will help.  Please ask me how these goals are coming along from time to time!  I hope that this will help me be a better person, business owner, friend, and wife.  I hope that this might inspire someone else.  And I hope that this can be a positive reflection of Amy Rae Photography.

Habakkuk 2:2 “Write the vision and make it plain.”

1. Spend daily time with God specifically at minimum 10-15 minutes per day reading scripture or a devotional because this is the foundation for my life.
2. Be in prayer daily first thing in the morning and last thing at night because this is how I talk to God, ask, and give praise.
3. Memorize one verse a week to store up God’s word in my heart and mind.
4. Find ways to frequently bless my husband so he feels loved and encouraged.
5. Prepare myself to be a Godly mother to our child and plan a schedule to accommodate this new family member coming in July.
6. Connect with our church family and build lasting relationships with those we have met.
7. Quit my job at the hospital by the end of Matt’s next deployment.
8. Create new revenue outlets in my business that don’t require me to leave home so I can replace the money from my hospital job with money from work I love.
9. Spend at least 2 hours a week in my craft room to scrapbook, sew, or start a new hobby.
10. Keep track of my income, expenses, mileage, and overall budget monthly with tools that keep me organized and efficient.
11. Shoot 100% film for lifestyle and family sessions and at least 50% film at weddings.
12. Build a brand that is authentic and reflective of me in order to attract my ideal client by making updates to my visual pieces, collateral material, and client gifts and sharing me in a real and authentic way.
13. Be physically healthy by choosing good food and being active.
14. Start work by 10am and be done by 4pm, Monday through Thursday.
15. Read 12 books, business or non-business related.
16. Explore more of the east coast while we live here.